Tag Archives: 5K

I have a fun announcement! I’ve been selected to be a BibRave ambassador, otherwise known as a BibRave Pro!

What is BibRave? BibRave is a website that provides a community forum for runners to research and review races. Anyone can submit a race review and there are no fees to use the service. There is already a great online community and a weekly twitter chat, #bibchat, hosted each Tuesday at 6pm PST.

What is a BibRave Pro? BibRave Pros are run bloggers who help spread the word about BibRave and BibRave-partnered races and brands.

What does this mean? It basically means I’ll be reviewing races and products right here on my blog and continue to write race reviews on BibRave.

I’ve updated my website to include some discount codes. If you’re interested in a race discount code, such as any Rock N Roll or Hot Chocolate race, you can visit my Race Discounts tab, and for gear and product discounts, visit my Gear Discounts tab. These discounts are for runners and non-runners alike!

I’m linking up with Holly from HoHo Runs and Tricia from MissSippiPiddlin for the Weekly Wrap. You don’t have to be runnin’ to share your funnin’, so go visit them, link up, and join the party.

Maui Half-Marathon Training, week 7

Monday: Treadmill Torture. After participating in the Redmond Turkey Trot the previous Saturday, I really wanted to try to beat my time for the upcoming Turkey Trot on Thursday. So I forced myself to run on the treadmill at a faster pace that I knew would beat my previous time, assuming I could hold that pace for very long. It was a good workout, and my legs got a feeling for what they needed to run to PR. The plan was to channel that treadmill workout the whole entire race on Thursday.

Tuesday and Wednesday: Total rest and relaxation and mentally preparing for Thursday, as well as trying to figure out Thanksgiving dinner. As it was just the 3 of us, none of us were too fussed about what we were going to eat come Thursday, when we were going to it, etc. I was really more concerned about what was going to be for breakfast post-race!

Thursday:Mukilteo Turkey Trot in Mukilteo, WA. Once again, we were up and at ’em way earlier than a normal weekday. It was nicely below freezing (see that? feels like 22). Oh yay.

Luckily I was wearing 3 layers all over my entire body. And I stayed in the heated car until it was time to go line up at the start line.

Although this race was sponsored by the same people who had put on the Redmond Turkey Trot the previous Saturday, I think more people showed up today. They were offering prize money for the top place finishers, so that brought out some fast runners. They were still offering the yummy pies too for each age group.

James did the 10K, and I did the 5K, so James lined up with the elite group and headed out first. Hehe, okay, he didn’t really go out with the elite as there weren’t any elite there, just some mighty fast runners of which he was one. Anyway, off he went, and I went out with the back of the crowd per normal, but I was kind of pleased I actually passed some people along the way. It’s usually the other way around! We went a bit up the street, turned the corner, then BAM! There it was! The first nasty hill of the run. Yes, I’m sure you can guess what I was thinking… “I should’ve done more hill torture.”

It was a rolling hill-type of a race, up and down and up and down, but it was all good. Not too severe. I didn’t get my PR like I wanted; however, I did run that hilly course at about the same pace I ran the other Turkey Trot which was mostly flat, so I consider it a success. I’ll have other chances to PR my 5K, so it’s okay. James nailed his 10K PR by 3 minutes but unfortunately came in 4th for his age group, so no pie for us on Thanksgiving Day. The funny thing is, if he would’ve been 2 years younger, he would have won that particular age group by 4 minutes. He gives a pretty decent race recap at 50 in 50 Marathon Quest, so go check it out.

As for post-race breakfast, I found a fabulous slow cooker egg bake from My Fitness Pal that was ready by the time we got home. Yes, there was bacon, 🙂

Friday:Trail run with Jamesy. James felt it necessary to pace me on a 2-mile run post-Thanksgiving debauchery and 1 day post-race. Ouchie. He runs fast. ‘Nuff said. At least we waited until most of the ice had melted on the trail.

Saturday: Total rest day. I am so good at these rest days, I amaze myself. We played games and James made a sinfully delightful chocolate-chip bread pudding. It’ll probably be a good thing when this holiday weekend is over so we can get back to good.

Sunday:Long run day. Another freezing cold day (I will never complain about the heat I again, I promise… okay, not really, I’ll still complain about the heat too). As it’s a step-down week (thanks to my Turkey Trotting), I just did an easy-peasy stretch around the block. Today was the Seattle Marathon of which James had entertained the idea of running way back in July. I’m so glad he changed his mind. I would’ve been not too impressed having to go out in this freezing cold weather at a stupid-early time for one of the hilliest courses ever with all that ice out there. For those who did run it… kudos to you. I’ll bet the portaloos were fun on your bum first thing. Yikes!

Only 6 more weeks until Maui. Holy cow, I’m looking forward to some warmth! And I have a lot of work to do between now and then. My pace has come down quite a bit, and I’m aiming for a 15-minute PR in Maui = 3:15. Holiday season, ice, cold, snow or not… it’s time to get busy!

I’m the one with the cotton ball-looking things around my neck. I have no idea what my mother was thinking.

I come from an era when everyone had to do the Presidential Physical Fitness Test twice a year in PE. Remember that?! I hated and dreaded it! I was always last in the run part of the test, and at those crucial times in a child’s life, it can be humiliating. My last year of PE was when I was in the 11th grade and I signed up for the weight class because I hated everything else… volleyball, softball, basketball. I am not a natural-born athlete. But I discovered I could lift weights. And I could do aerobics and Jazzercise. One of my grades in weights was figuring out an aerobics routine and teaching it to the class (yes, this was in the middle of the aerobics boom). I nailed it, and the coach even told me that I was good at it. I was chuffed. But I digress…

My sister Angela (left) and me; I was 15.

Even in weight class, we had to do that stupid physical fitness test, you know, the one with the running. I couldn’t even make it around the track once without walking half of it. I was tired of being humiliated, so I worked all year long on trying to get around that track without having to stop and walk, and I worked on trying to speed up. I did this after school or whenever I could get to the track to practice. By the end of the year when the test came, I made it around the track without walking. I was still last, but I made it around that stupid track. I considered the run a success.

Fast forward to now. I’m closer to 50 than 40, and I am a runner. I’m also in my 2nd year of racing. And I go out and give it my all. And I am not fast… although I am faster than I was last year. And that’s so very encouraging and positive. I see progress. And I’ve just begun.

I read other blogs of newbie runners, too. A lot of newbies (including me) struggle with how slow they run. Sometimes it even discourages them… “Why do this? I’m not going to get any better. It’s never going to get any easier. I’m so slow.” I want to tell you that you will get better, it will get easier, and you will get faster. You just have to have patience and put in the effort if you really want to become a faster runner. Sometimes it’s discouraging to be slow, I know, but keep at it. Your pace will come down, and with it, you will become more fit, or vice-versa. Running has brought me a sense of good will, good health, empowerment, control, a major sense of accomplishment. And I think it’s all worth it. You will too.

Not a good week for training. Power outages, massive wind storms, rain, freezing weather… I pretty much just kept my legs loosened up for the 5K Turkey Trot on Saturday. I think I’ll just get right to that…

Inaugural Redmond Turkey Trot

Woke up on Saturday at a much earlier time than I do during the week (only for a race, right?!). Weather conditions were freezing and clear… and I do mean freezing.

The start of the race was in the middle of Redmond Town Center, Redmond, WA.

We picked up our race packets nice and early, took a couple of photos, then went back to the car to stay warm (especially as one of us was racing in shorts, of all things… hint:it wasn’t me).

Just wait until you take those track pants off, Jamesy.

The fountain froze along the outside edge.

We managed to snag a couple of hand warmers from a booth, which didn’t actually help the freezing fingers any, but it was nice being warm somewhere even if it was just the palms of my hands. They decided to start the race a couple of minutes early, which was fine with us as everyone was jumping around trying to keep the blood flowing. And James was in shorts!

I’m not used to running in such extreme conditions, so it was kind of breathtaking. Literally. I thought my lungs were going to freeze up with every breath I took. I didn’t regain feeling in my lips and face until after mile 1 somewhere. Everything was uncomfortably numb.

I was aiming for a 40-minute time goal (it’s perfectly alright that I’m slower than most, I’m okay with that), so I didn’t stop to take any pictures of the course. It was a nice running trail, mostly flat, next to a river or a stream (that I didn’t drink out of), and in places it was a little bit icy. I tiptoed very carefully through the icy parts.

James finished his race quickly, then came back to pace me the last half-mile or so. It was nice being able to trod along with him. He talked the whole entire time, and I listened; and for those who aren’t runners, that means I was running just hard enough that I was not able to carry on a conversation. James veered off just as I “entered the finish chute.” (There wasn’t an actual chute, just a nice red brick path in which to “bring it on home.“)

Unfortunately, I didn’t make my 40 minutes, I finished in about 44. BUT, the good news is that, according to my watch and Garmin Connect and Strava and Nike+, I had 6 personal records. I’m very, very pleased with how the race went and with my time and with how much effort I put into it. It’s proof positive that I’m getting better and faster as time goes on. All it takes is practice (and a whole lot of patience… oh, and hard work, can’t forget the hard work).

James had a stellar performance. He had never done a 5K before (a few marathons, but never a 5K, go figure), so his was a given PR. He managed to place 2nd in his age group. You can read his awesome race report here. He finished in 23:16 and won a pie. A freaking pie. So awesome. And so tasty.

Shorts and pie!

Afterwards, we headed off for our celebratory breakfast. We did have to change out of our race gear first. We were in the parking garage of the Redmond Town Center, and I crawled into the back of our Honda CRV with the hatchback and changed my clothes. Have you ever changed your clothes in such a tiny confined space?! Let me rephrase that… have you ever tried to get out of a sports bra in such a tiny confined space?! James held up a towel to shield me from the peeping toms.

We had breakfast at The Commons, just outside of Woodinville. They didn’t have my pancakes and bacon, so I went with biscuits and gravy… the next best thing.

It was a fabulous day, tons of fun, a great race with great results, a great breakfast, and great company! While this was not an official “race-cation,” this was a wonderful “race date.” Next up for us is the Mukilteo Turkey Trot this Thursday. James is doing the 10K, aiming for a PR, and I’m doing the 5K, still aiming for my 40 minutes.

And what makes this all worth it? Why, it’s all about the bling, of course! Happy Running!

WordPress has invited bloggers all around the world to unite this week for a 5K run/walk. This is obviously a virtual event (awww, no bling?!), and you can complete this fun little challenge from Oct 26 to Nov 1. I completed it today and couldn’t have picked a better day to do it! The sun was shining, I had to wear shorts, and not a drop of rain in sight!

For those who don’t know, I live in Lake Stevens, Washington… kinda near Seattle but a bit more north… otherwise known as the Pacific Northwest. It usually rains here quite a bit, especially this time of year. However, thanks to El Nino, the weather is going to be extremely mild this winter… less rain and no snow. Hence, today was a perfect day to do a 5K.

Most of you already know that I’m a slow runner… I like to lollygag and take pictures and walk as much as I possibly can. Regardless… here are my results, courtesy of the Nike+ running app:

You’ll see in the bottom right corner it says 6.13 mi. That mileage is actually for my shoes. My wonderful husband, The Motivator, gifted me with a new pair of running shoes this past week for my upcoming half in January. They’re the Brooks Launch 2 and this was my second run in them. So far, so good! They’ll be broken in slowly to avoid any potential mishaps as I usually run in Brooks Glycerin or Saucony Ride and my feet love to blister. I have to tape my toes on every run I do over 5 miles or I pay dearly. But I just adored the color of these shoes and had to have them!

I’m also having a great time playing with the Nike+ running app! Yes, I have my Garmin watch, Garmin Connect, Strava, etc., but this is fun too! The more charts and graphs, the merrier!

This picture shows my activity over the past few days, and it actually shows the weather too, which is nice to keep track of, especially when it’s sunny like it has been. (No worries, I’ll try not to get used to the sun-shiny days as we’re about to have a major downpour.) I also like the little trophies the app comes up with. I got this one today:

Okay, well, it’s not really a trophy, but it does keep track of your fastest times and awards you when you’ve completed certain milestones. This one is giving me kudos on being active for 3 weeks in a row, which is when training began for me for my next big race… Being active — it’s a lifestyle.

This was my view when I crossed my virtual finish line. Guess that’s why they call it “fall,” ha!

One last thing… runners beware. There are reports of owls dive-bombing runners and people during this time of year. It’s mostly the barred owls and great-horned owls who do this. They become highly territorial at the start of winter, hunkering down and preparing their nests for upcoming baby season. Owls are brave and think nothing of “attacking” humans. Wave your hands slowly overhead back and forth to keep them at bay and then leave the area. They’re just trying to protect their home, so don’t take it personally. 🙂

Now get out there and complete that 5K challenge! I double dog dare ya!